Moving object command link system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9739571-B2
Application number	US-201514590627-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2015
Priority date	Jan 6, 2015
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A moving object command link system includes a transmitter which outputs a EM beam and a steering mechanism which directs the beam toward one or more objects, at least one of which is moving. The system may include a variable attenuator which modulates the average output power of the beam, and/or a divergence controller to maintain a desired beam size. The beam may be polarized, and the system may include a polarization modulator which changes the beam's polarization in accordance with a predetermined sequence and schedule. The system may include a 1×2 switch to selectively provide the beam to one of first and second outputs. A tiltable dichroic beam splitter may be used to couple beams received from first and second objects to track cameras having respective boresights that are offset with respect to each other.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for creating a command link between a transmitter and one or more objects, at least one of which is moving, comprising:
at least one moving object which is capable of receiving commands via a free space link;
a source which outputs a beam of electromagnetic radiation;
a steering mechanism arranged to direct said electromagnetic beam toward one or more of said objects;
a variable attenuator arranged to modulate the average output power of said beam to control the amplitude of the beam at said one or more objects; and
a divergence controller arranged to maintain a desired beam size at said at least one moving object when said beam is directed on said object.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said beam of electromagnetic radiation is a pulsed laser beam.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein said pulsed laser beam is generated by a source arranged to encode guidance commands into said beam, said at least one moving object arranged to detect and decode said pulses and thereby detect said guidance commands.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said beam is coupled to said variable attenuator via free space or optical fiber.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said divergence controller is arranged to maintain a beam of approximately fixed size at said at least one moving object.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said divergence controller is arranged to provide a beam at said at least one moving object which has a size that varies with distance.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein said divergence controller comprises first and second lenses, at least one of said lenses capable of being translated linearly with respect to the other.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a receiver on said at least one moving object, said receiver arranged to detect said beam when said beam is directed toward said receiver.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein said beam is linearly polarized, said polarization being a base polarization.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one steering mirror arranged to direct said beam of electromagnetic radiation toward one or more of said objects as desired.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said moving objects is put into motion at a time t=0 with a launching device, further comprising a means of detecting time t=0.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein said means of detecting time t=0 comprises an accelerometer mounted on said launching device.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein said means of detecting time t=0 comprises a microphone.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein said launching device is a firearm, and said means of detecting time t=0 comprises an optical muzzle flash detector.

15. A system for creating a command link between a transmitter and one or more objects, at least one of which is moving, comprising:
at least one moving object which is capable of receiving commands via a free space link;
a source which outputs a beam of electromagnetic radiation;
a steering mechanism arranged to direct said electromagnetic beam toward one or more of said objects; and
a divergence controller arranged to maintain a desired beam size at said at least one moving object when said beam is directed on said object;
wherein said divergence controller is arranged to provide a beam at said at least one moving object which has a size that varies with time.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein said divergence controller includes a storage means into which a divergence profile is loaded which represents a desired beam size over time, said divergence controller operated in response to said divergence profile to control the divergence of said pulsed laser beam over time.

17. A system for creating a command link between a transmitter and one or more objects, at least one of which is moving, comprising:
at least one moving object which is capable of receiving commands via a free space link;
a source which outputs a beam of electromagnetic radiation;
a steering mechanism arranged to direct said electromagnetic beam toward one or more of said objects; and
a receiver on said at least one moving object, said receiver arranged to detect said beam when said beam is directed toward said receiver; and
a variable attenuator arranged to modulate the average output power of said beam, wherein said receiver has an associated noise floor and saturation level, said variable attenuator arranged to modulate the output power of said beam such that the signal received by said receiver is above said receiver's noise floor and below said receiver's saturation level.

18. The system of claim 17 ,
wherein said beam of electromagnetic radiation is a pulsed laser beam and said variable attenuator is a variable optical attenuator (VOA), further comprising:
a detector, an array of detectors, and/or a camera arranged to receive light reflected from said at least one moving object;
said VOA arranged to modulate the average output power of said pulsed laser beam based on the brightness of said reflected light.

19. A system for creating a command link between a transmitter and one or more objects, at least one of which is moving, comprising:
at least one moving object which is capable of receiving commands via a free space link;
a source which outputs a beam of electromagnetic radiation, wherein said beam is linearly polarized, said polarization being a base polarization;
a steering mechanism arranged to direct said electromagnetic beam toward one or more of said objects; and
a polarization modulator which operates to change the polarization of said beam directed toward said at least one moving object in accordance with a predetermined sequence and schedule.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising a receiver on said at least one moving object, said receiver arranged to detect said beam when said beam is directed toward said receiver, said receiver arranged to process said detected beam in accordance with said predetermined sequence and schedule and to thereby detect said base polarization.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein said source is arranged to encode the polarization state of said beam in said beam.

22. A system for creating a command link between a transmitter and one or more objects, at least one of which is moving, comprising:
at least one moving object which is capable of receiving commands via a free space link;
a source which outputs a beam of electromagnetic radiation;
a steering mechanism arranged to direct said electromagnetic beam toward one or more of said objects; and
at least one steering mirror arranged to direct said beam of electromagnetic radiation toward one or more of said objects as desired;
wherein said at least one steering mirror is directed by means of a voice coil which is actuated in response to a control voltage.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein said one or more objects comprise a first object and a second object, said system arranged to provide control voltages to said voice coil as needed to direct said beam of electromagnetic radiation toward said first and second objects as desired.

24. A system for creating a command link between a transmitter and one or more objects, at least one of which is moving, comprising:
at least one moving object which is capable of receiving commands via a free space link;
a source which outputs a beam of electromagnetic radiation, wherein said beam of electromagnetic radiation is a pulsed laser bea

Assignees

• Teledyne Scient & Imaging Llc

Inventors

• Winker Bruce
• Mahajan Milind
• Taber Don
• Gregory Brian
• Mansell John

Classifications

• F41G7/001

  Devices or systems for testing or checking · CPC title

• F41G7/308

  for guiding a plurality of missiles · CPC title

• F41G7/306 Primary

  for transmitting guidance signals; (F41G7/308 takes precedence) · CPC title